More than forty thousand readers told us what they looked for in close friendship what they expected 1 friends what they were willing to give in 2,and how satisfied they were with the quality of their friendships. The expectations give little comfort to social critics.Friendship 3 to be a unique form of human bonding. Unlike marriage or the ties that 4 parents and children it is not explained or regulated by law. Unlike other social roles that we are expected to 5 — as citizens, employees, members of professional societies and other organizations—it has its own principle, which is to promote 6 of warmth. trust,love, and affection between two people.The survey on friendships appeared in theMarch issue ofPsychology Today. The findings 7 that issues of trust and betrayal are 8 to friendship. They also suggest that our readers do not look for friends only among those who are most like them but find many 9 differ in race, religion, and ethnic background. Arguably the most importantconclusionthat emerges from the data,10is not something that we found—but what we did not.